Throughout this application various publications are referenced by Arabic numerals. Full citations for these references may be found at the end of the specification immediately preceding the claims. The disclosure of these publications is hereby incorporated by reference into this application to describe more fully the art to which this invention pertains.
The human glycoprotein gonadotropic hormonesxe2x80x94luteinizing hormone (hLH), follicle stimulating hormone (hFSH), and chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)xe2x80x94are essential for reproduction. These hormones, along with thyroid stimulating hormone (hTSH), are composed of a common alpha subunit noncovalently combined with a target-specific beta subunit (1, 2) and they appear in blood and urine in a variety of forms ranging from the heterodimeric intact molecules to small fragments (1, 2). All of the glycoprotein hormones are produced by the pituitary, including a small quantity of human chorionic gonadotropin (3).
hLH is known to exist intracellularly, and also in soluble, extracellular form. However, hLH has not been known to exist on the surface of cells. Data presented herein demonstrate the existence of hLH on the surface of human malignant cells.
Certain methods of detecting malignant cells currently exist. However, these methods are generally expensive and time consuming. Accordingly, there exists a need for a rapid and relatively inexpensive method for detecting human malignant cells.
The subject invention provides a method for detecting the presence of human malignant cells in a sample of tumor cells, as well as a method for determining whether a tumor present in a human subject is malignant, which methods exploit the existence of hLH on the surface of malignant cells.
The subject invention further provides a method for obtaining an enriched population of live human malignant cells, which method also exploits the existence of hLH on the surface of malignant cells.
The subject invention provides a method for detecting the presence of human malignant cells in a sample of tumor cells, which comprises contacting the sample with an antibody directed to an epitope present on the xcex2 subunit of human luteinizing hormone or on intact human luteinizing hormone under conditions such that the antibody forms a complex with cells present in the sample if the epitope is present on the surface of the cells, and determining whether the antibody forms such a complex so as to thereby detect the presence of human malignant cells in the sample.
In one embodiment, the antibody is a monoclonal antibody. The monoclonal antibody may be the monoclonal antibody designated B406, B408, B413 or B409.
The subject invention also provides a method for determining whether a tumor present in a human subject is malignant which comprises obtaining a sample of cells from the tumor and detecting the presence of malignant cells in the sample according to the method of the subject invention so as to thereby determine whether the tumor is malignant.
Finally, the subject invention provides a method for obtaining an enriched population of live human malignant cells which comprises contacting a population of cells comprising live human malignant cells with an antibody directed to an epitope present on the B subunit of human luteinizing hormone or on intact human luteinizing hormone under conditions such that the antibody forms a complex with the cells present in the population if the epitope is present on the surface of the cells, and isolating the cells which form a complex with the antibody so as to obtain an enriched population of live human malignant cells.
In one embodiment, the antibody is a monoclonal antibody. The monoclonal antibody may be the monoclonal antibody designated B406, B408, B413 or B409.